Tribal community stages half-naked doli yatra in ASR district demanding forest clearance for long-pending road to Kalyanagummi village.
Tribal residents carry out symbolic doli yatra in Anantagiri mandal to highlight lack of road access to Kalyanagummi; seek urgent intervention from Forest Department and district officials. (Image: DC)
Visakhapatnam: The tribal community organised a one-kilometre half-naked doli yatra seeking Forest department’s clearance for construction of a road to Kalyanagummi village in Gumma panchayat of Anantagiri mandal in ASR district.
The community members asked Anakapalli district collector to visit their village and witness their challenges first hand. They pointed out that recently at Karriguda village, an MPDO had fallen ill while traversing a hill and had to be transported by doli for three kilometres to reach Gumma panchayat for medical treatment.
According to Nandula Raja Rao, president of Girijan Sangham, Kalyanagummi is a settlement of 180 tribal people. It had been allocated ₹1 crore under MNREGA a year ago for constructing a gravel road connecting the settlement with Nerellapudi village in Devarapalli mandal of Anakapalle district. However, the road could not be laid due to lack of clearance from the Forest department.
Raja Rao pointed out that as a result, 12 children of the village have to walk six kilometres along forest tracks to reach their school in Bodugaruvu. Further, when ill, villagers have to travel 50 kilometres through tough terrain to reach the Longaparthi Primary Medical Centre.
The Girijan Sangham president said Kalyanagummi residents are planning to organise another doli yatra to the collector’s office in Anakapalle on June 20 seeking laying of the road.
According to Nandula Raja Rao, president of Girijan Sangham, Kalyanagummi is a settlement of 180 tribal people. It had been allocated ₹1 crore under MNREGA a year ago for constructing a gravel road connecting the settlement with Nerellapudi village in Devarapalli mandal of Anakapalle district. However, the road could not be laid due to lack of clearance from the Forest department.
Raja Rao pointed out that as a result, 12 children of the village have to walk six kilometres along forest tracks to reach their school in Bodugaruvu. Further, when ill, villagers have to travel 50 kilometres through tough terrain to reach the Longaparthi Primary Medical Centre.
The Girijan Sangham president said Kalyanagummi residents are planning to organise another doli yatra to the collector’s office in Anakapalle on June 20 seeking laying of the road.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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